Display container



Dec. 11., 1956 B. L. LEVINSON 5 DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Jan. 8, 1954 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fiiMfml/n/ Z. [Av/4 I AORNY a Dec. 11, E95@Filed Jan. 8, 1-954 B. L. LEVENSON 2,773,

DISPLAY CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 33 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 'ly realized.been paid to the structure of the package itself'than to emptied oftheir contents, are discarded.

.tional manner so as to produce a United States Patent DISPLAY CONTAINERBenjamin L. Levinson, Groton, Conn., assignor to Royal Electric Company,Inc., Westerly, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application January8, 1954, Serial No. 402,879 16 Claims. (Cl. 206-4534) :the light bulbshave been removed therefrom, does not completely lose its usefulness,but instead may be employed in conjunction with a light bulb as a lightreflector of novel design.

The advantageousness, from a sales promotion point of view, of packagingproducts in such a manner that they are visible and attractivelyarranged within the package is Well known. The desirability of designingthe package itself so that it independently is an attractive and unusualstructure, of independent utility, is less wide- It may be assumed thatless attention has the art work imprinted on it because in almost allinstances the packages, once they have been opened and In someinstances, as with various items of jewelry, the containers aresufficiently substantial sothat they may continue. to be used aftertheir contents have been removed, but they are still adapted to be usedas containers. r In accordance withthe present inventiona' container isproduced which has the following features:

(a) It has an unusual configuration in and of itself,

thus initially catching the eye of a potential purchaser. (b) It permitsits contents to be seen while they are retained in position.

(c) It holds the contents arranged in an unconvenparticularly arrestingand attractive display.

(d) After the contents of the container have been removed, a portion ofthe container may still be usefully employed and, which is mostsignificant, may be was initially employed.

(a) The containers are not only stackable one on the other but, whenstacked, they produce an eyearresting 'ducing an attractive flower-likeor sunburst appearance.

The upper and lower walls of the individual bulb-holding compartments ofthe assembled container are concave when viewed from the interior of thecontainer and convex when viewed from the outside thereof, theconvexities, preferably defined by a plurality of substantially straightwalls angularly related to one another, defining cooperating mountainsand valleys which permit superposed containers to be stacked in axialalignment and in internested relationship. The arrangement is such thatthe star points of one container will be rotationally staggered withrespect to the star points of the container thereunder, thus producingan extremely eye-catching display effect. 7 g

In addition, the container is preferably constructed of two similarlyshaped sections meeting along the medial plane of the assembledcontainer, one of those sections having inside walls which arelight-reflective. The central portion of that container section isprovided with a wall part which, while normally secured to the sectionso as to protect the contents of the container, is severable from thatsection after the container has been opened so as to produce an aperturethrough which the base of one of the bulbs may be passed. The containersection under discussion may then be used as a faceted star-shaped lightreflector for use with that bulb, the bulb and reflector togetherconstituting an unusual illuminated ornament.

Despite the fact that the container includes structure which is useablefor an entirely diflerent purpose after the contents of the containerhas been removed, the container may nevertheless be rapidly andinexpensively manufactured at a cost, when appreciable quantities areinvolved, no greater than that of conventional containers which havenone or few of the features above set forth.

portion being broken away;

used for a purpose quite remote from that for which it more than thatproduced merely by placing a plurality of such individual containers ina single pile.

More specifically, the display container of the present invention isdesigned for use in the packaging and sale of sets of light bulbs, andparticularly small-size colored light bulbs such as those utilized asChristmas tree ornaments and the like. The container is in the shape ofa star, and is here specifically illustrated as a five-pointed star. Thecontainer is so constructed as to define'a pluthe container toward thetips of the point,. ther,eby pro- ,ralty of compartments, one for eachstar point, each com- Fig. 3 is a top plan view, on a reduced scale, ofone of the container sections and illustrating one manner in which lightbulbs may be arranged therein;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, ofthe completely assembled container, the bulbs therein being shown inphantom;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the manner inwhich two containers may be stacked in axially aligned relation, thelower container being shown in solid lines and the upper container inphantom lines; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of the stacked assembly of Fig. 5.

The container of the present invention is here specifically illustratedfor the display and packaging of small-size and preferably coloredpear-shaped light bulbs 2 of the type employed, for example, asilluminated ornaments for Christmas trees. The container itselfcomprises a pair of sections 4 and 6 each having a similar star-shapedoutline when viewed in plan, the form here specifically disclosedinvolving a five-pointed star. Since the configuration of the twosections 4 and .6 may be substantially similar, a description of onewill suflice'for'. the other, the same reference numerals being appliedto. the corresponding parts.

Each section comprises a plurality of receptacle portions 8, concavewhen viewed from the open face of the section, there being onereceptacle portion 8 for each star point 10 but the star point Itconstituting only a part of the receptacle portion 8, the latterextending radially inwardly beyond the Wide end of the star point 10toward but short of a central portion 12 defined, as here specificallyillustrated, by a substantially flat wall of circular periphery. Each ofthe star points 10 is defined by a pair of walls 14 and 16 inclinedupwardly and outwardly from a line of intersection 13 which extendsdownwardly and radially inwardly from the tip 20 of a star point 10. Theradial inner ends of the walls 14 and 16 are defined by lines 22 and 24which incline upwardly and outwardly from the radial inner end of theline 18 and which terminate at the corners 26 between the star points10. Walls 28 and 30 extend radially inwardly from the lines 22 and 24respectively, those walls intersecting at line 32 which is inclinedupwardly and radially inwardly from, and is radially aligned with, theline 18. The outer ends of the walls 28 and 30 intersect adjacent walls30 or 28 respectively from adjacent receptacle portions 8 along radiallines 34 which are preferably horizontal and are here shown as slightlyraised above the level of the wall "defining the central portion 12,connecting walls 36 being provided to connect the central portion wall12 with the walls 28 and 30. The periphery of the container section isdefined by the exposed ends of the walls 14 and 16 and conforms to thestar-shape of the section. Horizontal flanges 38 are provided along thatperiphery.

It will therefore be apparent that each receptacle portion 8 is concavewhen viewed from the open face of the container section and is definedby four angularly "related walls 14, 16, 28 and 30, each substatiallyplanar in nature and defining a facet which greatly adds to thebrilliance of the appearance of the structure.

While each of the container sections 4 and 6 are preferably of the sametype, they are preferably not of identical construction. Both areadvantageously formed of some moldable plastic material for ease offabrication, but the section 6, for convenience hereinafter termed thetop section, is desirably formed of transparent material, at least overits receptacle portions 8, while the other section 4, for conveniencehereinafter termed the bottom section, is preferably formed of somematerial such that the inner surfaces of its walls are light-reflective.It has been found that extremely effective results are obtained if thebottom section 4 is formed of a substantially opaque colored material.Because the light-reflective bottom section 4 will be utilized as alight-reflector, as will be described more in detail below, it isusually desirable that it be formed of thicker or more substantialmaterial in order that it will not be too flimsy for use, whereas theupper container section 6, discarded once the container has been opened,need not be as strong structurally.

The wall 12 defining the central portion of the bottom andlight-reflective section 4 is preferably surrounded by a score line orother weakening so that it may be severed from the remainder of thesection 4 when desired. The size of the wall 12, or at least the portionthereof adapted to be severed from the section 4, is closely the same asthe size of the base 49 of a light bulb 2, so that the latter may beslid therethrough, the section 4 preferably remaining in frictionalengagement therewith, as may best be seen from Fig. 2. In this conditionthe bulb 2 with the section 4 attached may have its base 49 screwed intoany appropriate socket, after which the section 4 will function as anattractive and effective star-shaped light reflector, the angularlyrelated walls 14, 16, 28 and 30 thereof functioning as facets reflectingthe light in different directions and thus producing a particularlybrilliant and attractive effect.

In use as a container the individual bulbs 2 are placed within theindividual receptacle portions 8 of the bottom container section 4, thereceptacle portions 8. being of sufficient size to accommodate at leasthalf of the height of the bulbs 2. The bulbs are arranged so that theirlongitudinal axes radiate out from the center of the section 4 towardthe tips 20 of the star points 10. A particularly pleasing eflFect isobtained when, as specifically illustrated, the bulbs 2 are orientedwith their bases 40 directed toward the central portion 20 of thesection 4. This produces a visual effect similar to a flower or asunburst. The upper section 6 is then placed on top of the lower section4 with the flanges 38 of the two sections in engagement, the receptacleportions 8 in the upper container section 6 thus mating with thereceptacle portions 8 in the lower container section 4 so as to defineindividual compartments within each of which an individual bulb 2 isretained. The two container sections 4 and 6 are then secured together,as by heat sealing the flanges 38 when the container sections are formedof thermoplastic material, or by any other appropriate means. The bottomsection 4, being substantially opaque and having light-reflective innersurfaces, and also preferably being of a color contrasting or blendingwith the colors of the bulbs 2 in an attractive manner, sets OE anddisplays the bulbs, which are visible through the transparent uppercontainer section 6.

. The container structure of the present invention is particularly welladapted for stacking, this being an important feature in view of thefact that point-of-sale displays usually require that individualpackages be piled one on the other, and the fragile contents of theseparticular containers render it necessary that such piles be reliablyprevented from toppling. Because of the particular orientation of thewalls 14, 16, 28 and 30, the upper surface of each upper section 6,along the lines 22, 24, is defined by a plurality of mountains andvalleys, the lower surfaces of the lower sections 4 beingcorrespondingly shaped. Therefore, individual assembled containers mayreadily be stacked one above the other in axially aligned relation bycausing the mountains on the undersurfaces of the lower section 4 of agiven container to fit into the valleys between the mountains on theupper surface of the upper section 6 of the container immediatelytherebelow. Because of the abrupt angularity of the walls, a firm andreliable interlock will result, inhibiting relative rotation of any ofthe containers with respect to the others and also-preventing acontainer from sliding laterally with :respect to another, since anysuch lateral or rotative movement must be accomplished in conjunctionwith a substantial degree of vertical movement, the latter beingprevented by the weight of the container and its contents.

In addition, because of the particular shape and configuration of theassembled containers, and particularly the fact that the star points 10of one container will, when that container is properly stacked, bepositioned between the star point 10 of the containers immediatelythereabove and therebelow, the stacking will produce a display ofstrikingly different appearance, all angles and spines, as it were, thedisplay value of which would be hard to overestimate.

Despite all of the numerous advantageous features of the construction ofthe present invention, as described above, the individual containersections may be very readily manufactured at extremely low cost, theonly appreciable item of expense being the formation of dies for themolding of the individual container sections 4 and 6 from suitableplastic material, and Where quantity production is entailed the cost ofsuch dies is readily amortized.

While but a single embodiment of the present invention has been heredisclosed, it will be apparent that variations may be made in thespecific details thereof without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the following claims.

- I claim: 7 i 1.. .Adisplay container comprising a pair of similarsections each having a star-shaped periphery when viewed in plan andcomprising a plurality of receptacle portions concave both laterally andlongitudinally, each including a star point and radiating from a commoncentral portion, said sections having engaging peripheral surfaces andbeing secured together with their respective receptacle portionsregistering and opening toward one another so as to define individualcompartments, one of said sections being transparent over at least partof its receptacle portions, whereby articles placed within saidcompartments will be retained and visible therein, the inner surfaces ofone of said sections being at least in part lightreflective and thecompartments being of a size to hold light bulbs, the common centralportion of said lightreflective section including a web scored to permitready severance from said section and of a size such as, when severed,to leave an opening of closely the same size as the base of one of saidlight bulbs, whereby said lightreflective section, after severance ofsaid web, is useable as a light reflector for one of said bulbs.

2. The display container of claim 1, in which the inner surfacesdefining said receptacle portions of said lightreflective sectioncomprise angularly related substantially fiat light-reflective surfaces,whereby a brilliant and striking reflective effect is obtained.

3. The display container of claim 1, in which said light reflectivesection is substantially opaque and in which said section other thansaid light reflective section is transparent.

4. The display container of claim 1, in which said light reflectivesection is substantially opaque and in which said section other thansaid light reflective section is transparent, both sections being madeof plastic material and having engaging flanges at their peripheralsurfaces which are sealed together.

5. The display container of claim 1, in which the external surfaces ofthe radially inner part of each of said sections are defined bymountains and valleys angularly arranged around said part, each mountaindefining a part of a receptacle portion, the peak-s of said mountainsbeing higher than those surfaces of said sections radially inwardly andradially outwardly disposed therefrom, said containers being nestableone above the other in axially aligned relation by causing the mountainsof the bottom section of one container to rest inside the valleys on thetop section of the container therebelow.

6. A display container comprising a pair of similar sections each havinga star-shaped periphery when viewed in plan and comprising acomparatively small central portion with concave receptacle portionsradiating out therefrom, one for each point of the star, each star pointconstituting a part of a receptacle portion and being defined by wallsmeeting along a radial line inclined downwardly from the tip of saidpoint, said walls being inclined upwardly and outwardly from said lineand extending radially inwardly short of said central portion from thetip of said point, the upper edges of said walls defining the peripheryof said part, the remainder of each receptacle portion being defined bywalls meeting along a radial line intersecting said first mentionedradial line and inclined upwardly therefrom toward said central portion,said walls being inclined upwardly and outwardly from said line andintersecting the adjacent walls of adjacent receptacle portions, saidsections being secured together with their corresponding receptacleportions registering and opening toward one another so as to defineindividual compartments, one of said sections being transparent over itsreceptacle portions, whereby articles placed within said compartmentswill be retained and visible therein.

7. The display container of claim 6, in which inner surfaces of thewalls of one of said sections are lightreflective and in which thecompartments are of a size to hold light bulbs, the common centralportion of said light-reflective section including a web scored topermit 6 ready severance from said section and of a size such as. whensevered, to leave an opening of closely the same size as the base of oneof said bulbs, whereby said lightreflective section, after severance ofsaid web, is useable as a light reflector for one of said bulbs.

8. The display container of claim 7, in which said light reflectivesection is substantially opaque and in which said section other thansaid light reflective section is transparent.

9. The display container of claim 6, in which said light reflectivesection is substantailly opaque and in which said section other thansaid light reflective section is transparent, both sections being madeof plastic material and having engaging flanges at the upper edges ofthe walls defining said star points, said flanges being sealed together.

10. The display container of claim 6, in which the walls defining saidremainder of each receptacle portion intersect at a level higher thanthat of said central portion, connecting walls being provided betweensaid central portion and the radially inner ends of said walls.

11. A display container comprising a pair of similar sections eachhaving a star-shaped periphery when viewed in plan and comprising aplurality of concave receptacle portions each including a star point andradiating from a common central portion, said sections having engagingperipheral surfaces and being secured together with their respectivereceptacle portions registering and opening toward one another so as todefine individual compartments, one of said sections being transparentover its receptacle portions, whereby articles placed within saidcompartments will be retained and visible therein, the inner surfaces ofone of said sections being light-reflective and the compartments beingof a size to hold light bulbs, the common central portion of saidlight-reflective section including a web scored to permit readyseverance from said section and of a size such, when severed, as toleave an opening of closely the same size as the base of one of saidbulbs, whereby said light-reflective section, after severance of saidweb, is useable as a light reflector for one of said bulbs.

12. The display container of claim 11, in which the inner surfacesdefining said receptacle portions of said light-reflective sectioncomprise angularly related substantially flat light-reflective surfaces,whereby a brilliant and striking reflective effect is obtained.

13. The display container of claim 11, in which said light-reflectivesection is substantially opaque and in which said section other thansaid light-reflective section is transparent.

14. The display container of claim 11, in which said light-reflectivesection is substantially opaque and in which said section other thansaid light-reflective section is transparent, both sections being madeof plastic material and having engaging flanges at their peripheralsurfaces which are sealed together.

15. The display container of claim 11, in which the external surfaces ofthe radially inner part of each of said sections are defined bymountains and valleys angularly arranged around said part, each mountaindefining a part of a receptacle portion, the peaks of said mountainsbeing higher than those surfaces of said sections radially inwardly andradially outwardly disposed therefrom, said containers being nestableone above the other in axially aligned relation by causing the mountainsof the bottom section of one container to rest inside the valleys on thetop section of the container therebelow,

16. A display container comprising a pair of similar sections eachhaving a star-shaped periphery when viewed .in plan and comprising aplurality of receptacle portions concave both laterally andlongitudinally, each including a star point and radiating from a commoncentral portion, said sections having engaging peripheral surfaces andbeing secured together with their respective receptacle portionsregistering and opening toward one another so as to define individualcompartments, one of said sections being transparent over at least partof its receptacle .portions, whereby articles placed within saidcompartments will be retained and visible therein, the external surfacesof the radially inner part of each of said sections being defined bymountains by valleys angularly arranged around said part, each mountaindefining a part of a receptacle portion, the peaks of said mountainsbeing higher than those surfaces of said sections radially inwardly andradially outwardly disposedtherefrom, said containers being nestable oneabove the other in axially aligned relation by causing the mountains ofthe bottom section of one container to nest inside the valleys on thetop section of the container therebelow.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSPlishker Oct. 31, Bloom Nov. 24, Hansen Mar. 9,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 26, Netherland Dec. 15, Italy Sept.10, France Oct. 24, Germany I an. 5,

